Peach tree named ‘Rattray’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of peach having a yellow-fleshed peento-shaped fruit.

LATIN NAME

The Latin name of the genus and species of the new tree is Prunuspersica, Batsch.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Rattray’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW VARIETY

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of peachtree, herein denominated as the ‘Rattray’ cultivar. The ‘Rattray’cultivar has yellow-fleshed fruit with peento shape. Peach trees knownto the inventors and which have peento-shaped fruit, such as of the‘Saturn’ cultivar, are white-fleshed. Again, this new peach is ayellow-fleshed mutation; otherwise, it is believed identical in allother vegetative and fruiting characteristics to the ‘Saturn’ peach ofcommerce.

In 1982, we received a shipment of peach trees that were supposed to be‘Elberta’ variety (unpatented) trees from a mid-west nursery. We plantedthese trees at our facility in Mesa, Wash. In about 1985, we discoveredabout 50 trees that had peculiar fruit, peento-shaped, flattened fruitwith low-acid, sweet, white flesh. At first we thought the trees wereinfected with a virus, but later we became convinced that the nurseryhad supplied us with a different peach variety. This peach varietysubsequently was identified as Stark ‘Saturn’, U.S. Plant Pat. No.5,123, now expired.

In the summer of 1993, it was noticed that a single limb on one of the‘Saturn’ peach trees growing in a cultivated area had fruit with yellowflesh, rather than the usual white-fleshed fruit of the ‘Saturn’variety. In the summer of 1995, approximately 35 trees were budded atour direction from the mutated limb. These trees were budded onto St.Julian plum rootstock. In the summer of 1997, the first fruit from thebudded trees was produced, and all fruits were identical to those on theoriginal mutated branch, including the yellow flesh. In 1999, we buddedadditional trees for our own planting. The original second-generationtrees propagated in 1995 remain true to type, thus confirming thestability of this mutation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a photograph of ‘Rattray’ cultivar fruit on the originalmutated branch of ‘Saturn’ peach; taken Jul. 21, 2000.

FIG. 2 is a photograph of sectional fruit of ‘Rattray’ cultivar (top),compared with fruit of ‘Saturn’ peach cultivar (white flesh, bottom);taken Jul. 27, 2000.

FIG. 3 is a photograph of blossoms of the ‘Rattray’ cultivar; taken Apr.7, 2000.

FIG. 4 is a photograph of a mature trunk and branch of the ‘Rattray’cultivar; taken Apr. 7, 2000.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description that follows is based on observations of5-year-old trees of my new variety made in Mesa, Wash. The site ischaracteristic of sites in the Columbia Basin of Washington State, wherea wide variety of fruit, vegetable, and agronomic crops is grown undersupplemental irrigation.

Color descriptions (hue/value/chroma) are from the Munsell Book ofColor, Kollmorgen Instruments Corp., 405 Little Britain Road, NewWinsor, N.Y. 12553.

Color can vary, such as due to growing and lighting conditions.

THE PLANT

Tree:

Parentage.—Limb sport mutation of what is believe to be the ‘Saturn’peach cultivar, discovered in a cultivated area at Hillside Orchards,Mesa, Wash.

Tree size.—Medium; height 3 m, width 2.5 m; all trees growing on St.Julian plum rootstock.

Vigor.—Moderate. The observations of ten typical one-year-old branchesrevealed they grew an average of 50 cm during the spring and summer ofthe year 2000.

Chilling requirements.—Not determined, normal for peaches in WashingtonState (high chill area).

Productivity.—Very high, requiring heavy thinning to achieve marketablesize. Sets much heavier than standard peach varieties, but no differentfrom standard ‘Saturn’ peach cultivar.

Regularity of bearing.—Uniform and annual, no different from ‘Saturn’peach.

Trunk:

Size.—Medium, with medium surface texture, smooth on younger branches,becoming rough as wood ages. Trunks on 5-year-old trees are 10 to 14 cmin diameter.

Color.—10 YR 5/2.

Lenticels.—Numbers: Medium, approximately 4 per square centimeter. Size:1×3 mm. Color: Light tan 7.5, YR 7/2.

Branches:

Size and texture.—Of medium size, with smooth texture in the immaturetree, becoming rougher as tree wood matures. Identical to ‘Saturn’ peachcultivar.

Color.—One year or older wood: Brown, 10 YR 4/8. Immature branches:Upper Surface reddish, 5 R 4/6. Lower Surface light green, 10 Y 7/6.

Lenticels.—Number: Numerous, more than 10 per square centimeter. Size:Very small, less than 0.5 mm, round. Color: Light tan 7.5 YR 7/2.

Leaves:

Size.—Medium. Leaves highly variable in size, from 7 to 15 cm in lengthof leaf blade and 2.0 to 3.7 cm in width.

Form.—Lanceolate, identical to ‘Saturn’ peach.

Color.—Upwardly disposed surface: 5 GY 4/4. Downwardly disposed surface:5 GY5/4.

Vein.—2.5 GY 9/6.

Marginal form.—Very finely serrate to crenate.

Vein thickness.—1.0 mm.

Glands.—Characteristics: 2 to 4 per leaf; very elongated, 1.0 mm×0.2 mm;somewhat reniform. Dark red in color, 5R 3/8.

Petiole.—Size: Medium. Length: 10 to 15 mm. Thickness: 1.5 mm. Stipules:Absent.

Flowers:

Buds.—Size: Up to 8 mm in length, either singly or in pairs. SurfaceTexture: Slightly pubescent.

Dates of bloom.—In one observation in Mesa Wash., 2000: 1^(st) bloomApril 1; full bloom April 5 to 7; petal fall Apr. 12 to 17.

Petal number.—Five.

Size.—Flower diameter 27 to 30 mm.

Petals.—Color: 2.5 R 6/6. Bloom Fragrance: Light. Showiness: Showy.Fertility: Self-fertile. Pollen Production: Medium. Size: About 14 mmlong, about 13 mm wide. Shape: Obovate, pointed at base.

Fruit:

Maturity when described.—First harvest Jul. 17, 2000 at Mesa, Wash.;last harvest August 3. Maturity of ‘Rattray’ is approximately the sameas that of ‘July Elberta’ (nonpatented) and ‘Loring’ (not patented), andapproximately 12 days later than ‘Redhaven’ (not patented).

Size.—Typical of other peento-shaped fruit of ‘Saturn’ cultivar.Characteristic fruit weight is 90 to 100 grams, varies with thinning.

Average diameter in the axial plane.—3 to 4 cm.

Average diameter transverse in the suture plane.—6 to 9 cm.

Average diameter transverse and at right angles to the suture plane.—6to 9 cm.

Form.—Uniformity: Extremely ablate and variable in form, commonly with aprominent protrusion or swelling on one side of the suture. Symmetry:Asymmetrical, but similar to ‘Saturn’ peach.

Suture.—Prominent, rather deep as viewed from stem end, less distinct asviewed from apex (pistilate end). Length of suture from base to apex,8.5 cm (average from ten fruit harvested in Mesa, Wash. in 2001).

Ventral surface.—Very large pistilate scar, frequently with healedcracks and occasionally with persistent pistil. Pistilate cavity 1 to 2cm in diameter, up to 1 cm deep, similar to ‘Saturn’ peaches.

Stem cavity.—Width: 15 mm. Depth: 10 mm. Length: 10 mm. Shape:Elongated, becoming part of prominent suture.

Stem.—Caliper: 2 mm. Length: 2 to 3 mm.

Pistil point.—Pistil occasionally persistent.

Skin.—Thickness: Thin, typically less than 0.1 mm. Texture: Very smooth,tender, tightly adhering to flesh. Blush Color: Medium-reddish purple2.5 R 4/8 to deep purple 5 R 2/4. Ground Color: Yellow, 2.5 Y 8.5/12.Tendency to Crack: None observed. Fuzziness: Very fine, similar to‘Saturn’ peach.

Flesh.—Flesh Color: Bright yellow, 2.5 Y 8/16. Surface of Pit Cavity:Yellow, 2.5 Y 8/12. Color of Pit Well: Pinkish red, 7.5 R 3/10.

Juice production.—Moderately juicy.

Flavor.—Very sweet, low acid (typically 13 degrees Brix, 0.2% acidity,when harvest ripe).

Aroma.—Moderate, peach-like.

Texture.—Melting, some stringiness.

Fibers.—Moderately fibrous, increasing with maturity.

Ripening.—Ripens evenly, highly palatable over wide range of maturity,due to low acidity.

Eating quality.—Excellent; similar to ‘Saturn’ peach.

Stone.—Attachment: Freestone; some fibers remain attached to stone.

Fibers.—Numbers: Moderate. Length: 7 to 10 mm.

Size.—Length: 15 mm. Width: 20 mm. Thickness: 21 mm.

Form.—Round, oblate.

Apex — shape.—Blunt, almost flat.

Color — dry.—Tan with pink tones, 7.5 R 7/4.

Base — shape.—Straight.

Sides.—Generally equal.

Ridges.—Sharp.

Tendency to split.—Moderate, up to 10 percent, depending upon fertilizermanagement.

Use.—Specialty market as a fresh product, similar to ‘Saturn’ peachespresently sold.

Keeping quality.—Good for peaches, up to 30 days at 34 degreesFahrenheit.

Resistance to disease.—Similar to ‘Saturn’ peaches, generally.Susceptibility to leaf curl — Taphrina deformans {Berk}. Susceptibilityto brown rot is similar to that of most peach cultivars.

Shipping and handling qualities.—Similar to ‘Saturn’; excellent forshipping at firm-ripe stage.

Cold hardiness.—Trees of the new variety have only been grown andobserved in Mesa, Wash. For this reason, cold hardiness has not beendetermined. However, in Mesa, Wash., winter temperatures have been aslow as about −18° C. (0° F.) with no flower bud injury or trunk injuryobserved.

Although the new variety of peach possesses the describedcharacteristics noted above when grown in Central Washington, it is tobe understood that variations in characteristics are likely to beexpected as a result of different growing conditions and management.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of peach tree substantially asillustrated and described,